TWO fresh sightings of a mysterious black cat-type creature in the countryside have re-opened speculation that a panther or puma could be at large in South Lakeland.

Similar-looking creatures have been spotted by members of the public over the past four years in areas such as Levens, Brigsteer, Shap and Burton-in-Lonsdale, and this week three men have reported separate sightings less than 20 kilometres apart.

The latest was on Tuesday at 8am on the A5074 at Winster.

Mike Groves, 34, of Castlefield, Ambleside, was on his way to work when he saw what he described as a "black cat the size of a Labrador" dash across the road about ten yards in front of his van.

"The cat was the size of a Labrador but it didn't look like one.

You can clearly tell the difference between a cat and a dog.

Its tail was stuck up in the air and it just shot across the road and went over a wall."

When he arrived at Crosthwaite, Mr Groves told his workmates what he had seen.

"I said, 'look I am not cracking up but have any of you heard anything about a black cat in this area?' - and, funnily enough, one of the blokes said his son, Shane O'Flaherty, had seen one."

Shane O'Flaherty, 19, was returning home to Kendal from Lancaster and Morecambe College two weeks ago on the bus when he and his friend Michael Nixon,18, saw what they believe was a large, black cat.

It was around 5pm in the afternoon and, as the bus went up the slip road towards the Farleton roundabout, they saw a creature in a field parallel to the M6.

Shane, who lives on Greengate, Kirkbarrow, said: "It was running through long grass and about the size of a large dog.

Any domestic cat would have struggled to get through grass that tall.

It ran along parallel to the hedge then disappeared into the verge, bounding along just like on wildlife programmes."

Naturalist Terry Hooper, co-ordinator of the Exotic Animals Register, believes there are a number of wild cats roaming Britain which have been released from zoos and private menageries over the last century.

He told the Gazette that the sightings were consistent with big-cat behaviour.

"They tend to come out at dusk and disappear again early in the morning, and at this time of year they are fairly active as young have recently left their mothers."